Friday, 21 March 2014

Shevils - Lost In Tartarus

Whatever you may think consists of a modern day hardcore band, they tend to do things a little differently in mainland Europe. Whereas the current manifestation of hardcore has become pretty boys in skinny jeans and matching fringes wailing about anything and everything, Norwegian outfit Shevils have added a little spice to the concept. Lost In Tartarus is Shevils' second full length release since their inception in 2010. The album pulls no punches either. Opening track "Is This Where We Are At" swarms you immediately, smothering you in a sea of pure, relentless noise.Black Eyes Soundcloud It isn't just hardcore by numbers though; there is a certain kind of swagger about the way the drums carry the track. For the first half the track grooves along then, without warning, the song kicks up a notch and precedes to rip your face off. "Black Eyes" is brash and dirty, with vocalist Anders Voldrønning's harsh, frenzied vocal bursts on top of a swirling guitar and drum combo. Following song "Timelines" offers a little respite in the form of a jazz style bass intro, before crashing into yet another snarling beast.

Shevils (Anders Voldrønning, Andreas Andre Myrvold, Christoffer Gaarder and Anders Emil Rønning) have previously incited bands such as Helmet and Fugazi as influences, but in Lost In Tartarus you can definitely hear snippets of American heavyweights Have Heart or Verse in their sound. It's as hardcore should be, but with a twist. Sure, you're required to mosh around like some angry, drunk Glaswegian, but you're also made to get your groove on, and it's very effective."Surely Fucking Provoked" is as you'd expect, not a ballad. It's a rapid wolf, snarling you into submission. On "These Walls Are Coming Down" however we get the usual monster but this time accompanied by a synth underbelly.If you thought you knew about walls of noise, think again. On "We Walk On Shattered Glass" the wall of noise demonstrated in the chorus could comfortably engulf several Chinas. We Walk On Shattered Glass SoundcloudShevils are a band that are already gathering some pace in their home nation of Norway and Lost In Tartarus is good enough to project them to further shores. A special mention must be made about the quality of the album. Despite it being self-released, the level of production ensures that the energy and loudness of their live shows is harnessed. Lost In Tartarus is like a snow globe, except one that shakes itself, and you with it. It's an album that has already many positive reviews from Norwegian publications, all of which are entirely well founded. I politely urge you to lose yourself in Tartarus, and in turn completely lose your shit. 4.5/5www.shevils.com
You can also LIKE them on Facebook - www.facebook.com/shevils